Derrick Williams | Forward | #22

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Recent News

Derrick Williams was a DNP-CD on Saturday.

That's cold. Williams was available to play, but coach Erik Spoelstra just went with other guys. Williams may get playing time another day, but this has to sting with only eight guys playing tonight. Dec 4 - 1:12 AM

Derrick Williams (back) will play against the Blazers on Saturday.

He was listed as questionable and is good to go for tonight. Williams was losing minutes to guys like James Johnson, but he should get playing time tonight due to the depth issues at forward. Even if he starts, he'll be a risky option in almost any league. Dec 3 - 2:46 PM

Derrick Williams (back spasms) is questionable for Saturday's game vs. the Blazers.

He said earlier that he was hopeful to play, so that's good news for a Heat team that's not expecting Luke Babbitt to play. If D-Will is ultimately ruled out, James Johnson and Josh McRoberts will hold down the fort at PF. Dec 2 - 10:04 PM

Derrick Williams (back spasms) is hopeful he will able to play Saturday in Portland.

The Heat announced prior to Thursday's game that Williams would be unavailable due to back spasms that ultimately were confirmed as the reasons he also had been held out of Wednesday's victory over the Nuggets. Williams said that in addition to the back spasms, he also is dealing with shoulder and neck pain. "Kind of right before the [Denver] game, actually, just warming up kind of just made the wrong movement and it just stiffened up on me," he said. However, Williams is hopeful of being in uniform Saturday. Miami may only have nine healthy players. Dec 2 - 10:28 AM

Depth Charts

Josh Richardson (ankle, wrist) will not play Tuesday vs. the Knicks and won't travel on Miami's three-game road trip.

Richardson has already missed three games and now we learn he won't return until Monday, December 12th at the earliest, when the Heat return home to play the Wiz. This is a bummer for Richardson owners, as he was a limited participant at practice on Monday and appeared to be making steady progress. James Johnson (shoulder), Dion Waiters (groin) and Justise Winslow (wrist) all won't travel as well. Miami will have only nine healthy players. Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson will play all the minutes they can handle in the backcourt.

Waiters has missed Miami's previous four games and will miss at least four more, as he won't travel on Miami's upcoming three-game road trip. The earliest he'll be eligible to return will be Monday, December 12th, when the Heat return home to play the Wiz. Waiters was playing arguably the best basketball of his career before injuring his groin. In the six games prior to his injury, he was averaging 18.7 points, 5. assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 3-pointers.

Rodney McGruder (ankle) is questionable for Friday's game vs. Cleveland.

The Heat will only have eight available players if McGruder sits, but he already vowed to play Friday. He's played 31 or more minutes in four straight games, but he's just a low-end punt in DFS until the Heat get some bodies back.

Justise Winslow (wrist) will not play Tuesday vs. the Knicks and he will not travel with the team during their upcoming three-game road trip.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra did say that Winslow was making progress with the wrist injury, so perhaps he can get back on the court for Monday's (Dec. 12) home game against the Wizards. Dion Waiters (groin), Josh Richardson (wrist, ankle), Luke Babbitt (hip) and James Johnson (rotator cuff) will also miss Miami's upcoming road trip, so guys like Wayne Ellington, Tyler Johnson, Derrick Williams and Josh McRoberts should be steady fixtures in the rotation moving forward.

Luke Babbitt (hip) has been ruled out for Friday's game vs. the Cavaliers.

Dion Waiters (groin), Justise Winslow (wrist), James Johnson (rotator cuff) and Josh Richardson (ankle, wrist) were already ruled out, meaning Josh McRoberts will once again get the bulk of the PF minutes on Friday.

James Johnson (right rotator cuff strain) will not play on Tuesday vs. the Knicks and will not travel on Miami's three-game road trip.

The Heat roster has been absolutely decimated by injuries. Like Johnson, Dion Waiters (groin), Justise Winslow (wrist), Josh Richardson (ankle/wrist) and Luke Babbitt (hip) all won't travel on the three-game trip. Miami will have just nine healthy players on the roster. Johnson won't be eligible to return until Monday, December 12th at the earliest when the Heat host the Wiz. Rodney McGruder and Wayne Ellington will benefit by seeing plenty of minutes at small forward.